The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-30

be: then afterward it was agreed tina.
the matter should be discussed on his
| autumn visit; but he did not
come it has remain cd in allegiance till this week
| when Caroline, with the greatest simplicity and
confidence, has written to him without any fur.
Their pressure on his part, and told him that she
| isquite ready to fix the time. and will do so
| soon as he arrives her. She is a little
| frightened now, lest IL should forward in
her to have revived the subject her own ac-
| cord; but she may assume that his question has
| been waiting for answer ever since and
| that she has, therefore acted only within her
| promise In truth, the at the bottom
| OF it all is thar she IS somewhat saddened
| because he has not latterly reminded her
| of the pause in their affars-that. in short,
| his original impotence to possess her is
| not now found animate him SO obviously
| 1 suppose that he loves her much Al ever; in
/ deed, am sure he must do SO. seeing how low
/ able she is. 1t is mostly thus with all men when
| women are out of their sight; they grow negi-
| gent. Caroline must have patience. and re-
member that man of his genius has many and
important calls upon his time. In justice to her
/ | must add that she does remember it fairly
! WE'LL and has much patience any girl ever
| had in the circumstances. He hopes come at
| the beginning of April, at latest. Well, when
| he comes shall see him.
| April 81 think that what Nj. de la Heste
writes is reasonable enough. though Caroline
| looks heart-sick about it. It is hardly worth
while for him TO cross all the way to England
| and back just now while the is turbu-
lent, seeing that he will be obliged, in any event.
to come in May. when he has TO be in London
he can take us easily on his way both going
and coming When Caroline becomes his wife
she will be more practical no doubt but she is
such child, as yet. that there Is no contentlng
her with reasons. However. the time will pass
quickly. there being so much to do in preparing
a trousseau for her, which must beput in
hand in order that we may have plenty of leis-
ure to get it ready. On account must Caro-
line be married in half mourning. 1
that mother, could she know, wonld not wish it,
and it is odd that Caroline should be intracta
bly, persistent on this point when she is usually
yielding.
April 30 This month has flown on swallows
wings We are IN great state of excitement-
I as much as sshe-I cannot quite tell why. He
is really COMING IL ten days. he says.
May "a P. Nj aeitased that can
scarcely write and yet particularly impelled
to do so before leaving my room. It is the I'M
expected Shape of expected event which has
caused nv absurd excitement which proves me
almost as much schoolgirl. as Caroline
NJ de la Heste was not, understood, to
have come till to- morrow; but he is here-just
arrived. All household directions have devolved
upon me-, for my father. not thinking NJ. de la
Heste would appear before us for another four
and-twenty hours, left home before
secrat,on; and hence Caroline and 1 were
in small excitement when Charlesis
letter was opened. and we read that he had been
unexpectedly favored in the dispatch of his
studio work. and would follow his letter in a
few hours We sent the covered carriage to
meet the train indicated, and waited like two
newly strung harps for the first sound of the
returning wheels At last we heard them
the gravel. and the question arose who was to
receive him. 1t was. strictly speaking:
my duty, but | felt timid l could
that Caroline should go down. She
did not. however, go near the door. she
usually does when anybody is expected bus
waited, palpitating, in the drawing room. He
little thought when he saw the silent hall, and
the apparently deserted house: how that house
and throb6lng with Interest under the
surface. | stood at the back of the
upper landing, where nobody could see me
from downstairs and heard him walk across
the hall--a lighter step than my fathers-and
heard him then 60 into the DRAWN groom. and
the servant shut the door behind him and go
away.
What a pretty lovers meeting they must have
had in there ali to themselves! Caroline's sweet
face looking up from her black gown-howit must
have touched him. know she wept very much,
for heard her; and her eyes will be red after
wards, and no wonder, poor dear. though she is
no doub. happy. can imagine what she is tell
ing him while write this--her fears lest any
thing should have happened to prevent his
coming after all-cente. smiling reproaches for
his long delay; and things of that sort. His two
portmanteaus are at this moment crossing the
landing on the way to his room. I wonder il /
ought to go down. 50
A Little Later.-I have seen him. 1t was not
at all in the way intended to encounter him,
and ] am vexed. just after his portmanteaus
were brought up went out of my de-
scend, when. at the moment of stepping towards
the first stair, my eyes we're caught by an OBJ
ject in the hall below, and paused for in
slant, till saw that it was bundle of canvas
and sticks, composing sketching tent
and easel At the same nick of time the draw
ing-room door opened and the affianced pair came
out. They were saying they would go into the
garden; and he waited a moment while she put
her hat My idea was TO let them pass
without seeing me- since they seemed to
want my company. but had got too far the
landing to retreat He looked up and stood
staring at me-engrossed to a dream-like fxity
Thereupou !, too, instead of advancing az ought
to have done, stood moonssruck and awkward,
and. before / could gather my weak sufi-
GENTLY to descend. she had called him and they
went out by the garden door together. I then
thought of following them, but have changed my
mind. and come here to jot down these few lines.
It is all / am fit for
He is even more handsome than expected l
was right in feeling he must have an attraction
beyond that of form; it appeared in that
momentarv glance. How happy Caroline ought
to be. But l must. of course. go down to be
ready with tea in the drawing room by the rme
they come indoors.
IL P. MI have made the acquaintance OF
Nj. de la Heste. and seem to be- another wom-
an from the effect of it. / cannot describe why
seems to expand the view. aud open the heart,
and raise one IS upon stilts to wider
prospects He has good. intellectual
and eyes. animated manner, and
persuasive voice. His voice is soft in quality
too soft for man. perhaps; and yet, second
thoughts | would have it less To have
been talking OF his art / had no notion that art
demanded such sacrifices such tender devo-
ton; or that there were two roads for choice
within it's precincts, the road of vulgar
money making and the road of high aims and
consequent Interpretation for many long years
by the public. That he has adopted the
latter need not be said to those who understand
him. It is blessing for Caroline that she has
been chosen by such man. and she ought not
to lamont at postponements and delays, since
they have arisen unavoidably- Whether he
finds hers a sufficiently rich nature in tellectu-
ally and emotionally, for his own. know not
but he seems occasionally to be dsappoin ted at
rSJru mis- UIa f,ff hipUz har Itvf fac
such love for her at this as he no
doubt believes himself to be feeling. and he no
doubt hopes to feel for the remainder of his life
towards herl
1t was a curious thing he told me when We
were left for few minutes alone--that Caro-
line had alluded so slightly in her CONVEX |
sation and letters that he had realized my |
presence in the house here at all But, OF |
course. il only natural that she should Mrira